Businesses ditch Durban due to water, sanitation woes

Local companies relocate as frustrations mount over persistent municipal challenges

- THAMI MAGUBANE

PRESIDENTIAL eThekwini Working Group co-chair Mike Mabuyakhulu speaks to the media in Durban yesterday.

(DOCTOR NGCOBO Independent Newspapers)

BUSINESSES have left eThekwini in favour of the northern parts of the province amid persistent water and sanitation challenges.

Despite 18 months of intervention at the highest level, water and sanitation in the eThekwini Municipality continue to be a serious problem.

The business community has expressed frustration over the situation, leading some midsize businesses to relocate to other areas of the province, with the biggest beneficiaries being regions like the Ilembe District.

Businesses voiced their concerns yesterday as the Presidential Ethekwini Working Group toured the municipality's projects to assess the progress made to date.

The group was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa nearly two years ago following complaints from the business community about the state of the municipality amid several crises, including water and sanitation issues. The group has several streams focused on tackling different challenges, including service delivery, addressing inefficiencies in municipal operations, and tackling tourism-related issues.

During their visit, they inspected several ongoing projects aimed at boosting tourism and addressing water challenges. These include the work being done on the RiverTown precinct and the construction of water infrastructure in the southern part of the city.